Welcome to Jefferson Elementary School

Jefferson Elementary School, with approximately 450 students, is a culturally diverse learning environment where students are the focus. Jefferson School is proud to educate students from grades K – 5 and offer bilingual and special education programs to maximize student support. Jefferson’s faculty is a progressive, multicultural body who are committed to the success of Plainfield’s children. In addition to our strong special education and bilingual departments, Jefferson offers research based instruction in literacy, math, science, social studies, character education, and enrichment in the arts and athletics. At Jefferson School, student achievement and growth are at the center of all teaching and learning activities. Jefferson staff, along with district support, utilizes classroom and state assessment data to ensure individual academic growth plans for all of our students. Jefferson School has also applied for and won several state and national grants including the Parent Teacher National Grant, The NJ Fresh Fruits and Vegetable grant, and is the proud recent recipient of the prestigious Bush National Library Grants for 2012-13. Jefferson School also has a multicultural, sister school partnership with the Tainan Tzu Chi School in Tainan, Taiwan in which students complete projects together and blog about international and local topics.

Jefferson School is committed to focusing on individual student learning styles to ensure retention of requisite skills and necessary knowledge to achieve academic success. Jefferson staff delivers instruction using direct instruction, technology integration, peer group work, kinesthetic learning, auditory delivery, and teacher-modeling methods to prepare our students for middle school and high school. The goal at Jefferson is to create students who are diverse life-long learners who are ready to become well rounded students capable of competing in a global economy. Our school wide goal is to increase the number of students who score proficient and advanced proficient on the NJASK test. All instructional efforts are aligned with the Common Core Curriculum State Standards and are supported by site based professional development to provide our students with developmentally appropriate teaching strategies. Jefferson School is also proud to be implementing a 21st Century technology infusion plan complete with SMART software and hardware, interactive student responses systems, and wired classrooms with cyber learning extensions to daily content taught. In the area of professional development, Jefferson School boasts active mentoring partnerships with the Teachers College of Columbia University and Children’s Literacy Initiative.

In addition to the learning environment, students at Jefferson School are exposed to world language, visual and performing arts, vocal music, intramural clubs and activities, and athletics to cultivate an interest in enriching and rewarding activities. Jefferson is proud to offer families after-school care in the Family Friendly Extended Day program which provides students with literacy and math tutoring and recreational activities. Jefferson School has built a community involvement initiative, the Jefferson School Leadership Project, which provides students who have graduated from Jefferson to come back and mentor current students. Jefferson school also has a strong and active Parent Teacher Organization which supports activities and programs at the school.

Jefferson School is committed to doing whatever it takes to help our student succeed: No Alibis, No excuses, No Exceptions. At Jefferson, we believe in our school motto for all stakeholders: Excellences Begins with Me!